GWH to stage major fire exercise

A major fire exercise will take place tomorrow at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon (Thursday 22 June) from midday until 9.30pm.

The preparedness exercise, in partnership with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, will give the fire service and hospital staff an opportunity to test their response and various procedures should a major fire occur at the hospital.

The exercise will involve three different scenarios in different areas of the hospital and aims to test procedures around raising alarms, managing fires, rescuing casualties and evacuating areas.

It's expected to create a buzz of activity, with five fire engines, a high rise platform and up 35 fire fighters taking part.

The exercise will not impact on patient services and hospital volunteers will be on hand to provide directions, answer questions and offer any support needed.

Steve Hince, Fire Safety Advisor for the Trust said:

“We work closely with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, who often visit the hospital, however this is the first time we’ll have staged such a large exercise, which has taken many months to plan.

“We want to really test our procedures so we can ensure our response is the best it can be in the face of a fire.

“If you’re visiting the Great Western Hospital on Thursday please don’t be alarmed if you see members of the fire service and continue to your appointment as planned.”

There has been interest nationally in the cladding used on NHS buildings and other tall buildings across the country following concerns about materials used on Grenfell Tower.

Local people should be assured the cladding used by the Trust meets all safety regulations.

The Trust follows very strict fire safety regulations and does everything possible to ensure our buildings and most importantly our people remain safe.